Storyline
Lionel Essrog, a private detective living with Tourette syndrome, ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and best friend — a mystery that carries him from the gin-soaked jazz clubs of Harlem to the slums of Brooklyn to the gilded halls of New York's power brokers.
Directors
Cast
Josh Pais, Ethan Suplee, Leslie Mann, Bruce Willis, Dallas Roberts, Alec Baldwin, Edward Norton, Michael Kenneth Williams, Willem Dafoe, Bobby Cannavale, Fisher Stevens, Cherry Jones, Robert Wisdom, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Blaise Corrigan, Joseph Siravo, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Doris McCarthy, Olli Haaskivi, Radu Spinghel, Migs Govea, Courtney Gonzalez, Erica Sweany, Candace M. Smith, Katy Davis
Trailer
Reviews
85
As Motherless Brooklyn reaches back in time to explore racism and New York City’s history, it also brings us urgently back to right now — how we look at politics and leadership, what offenses we’re willing to accept, what ideals are still worth fighting for.
83
Original-Cin
Motherless Brooklyn is the sort of risk-taking effort that deserves kudos whether it works or not. As it happens, this lengthy film-noir labour of love by writer, director and star Edward Norton, is well worth the ride.
75
If it all sometimes feels trapped in the amber of his intentions, Brooklyn still casts a quiet sort of spell: a meticulously, lovingly made mood piece, full of empathy for the ones who can’t speak — at least not always the way they want to — for themselves.
75
This passion project also lets Norton indulge in the kind of tic-heavy acting challenge he embraced early in his career.
70
Lionel’s mannerisms could have gotten obnoxious in a hurry, but Norton calibrates the performance so that the character remains unpredictable without becoming unbearable.
